Thailand’s PTTGC to ramp up production at I-4 No 1 cracker

25 September 2013 10:53[Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Thailand’s PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) plans to ramp up production at its 515,000 tonne/year I-4 No 1 cracker in Map Ta Phut after the facility was restarted as scheduled on 22 September, a company source said on Wednesday.

The source did not provide more details.

The cracker, which mainly uses naphtha as a feedstock, had resumed operations in early September following a turnaround that started on 1 August, but was subsequently taken off line because of technical issues.

PTT also runs three other gas crackers – with a combined nameplate ethylene capacity of 1.86m tonnes/year – at the same site.

The three crackers are still running at reduced rates of 70-80% capacity this month because of insufficient gas feedstock, the source added.

The gas separation unit No 5, which is operated by PTTGC's parent firm PTT, was shut on 14 August because of a lightning strike and is expected to be off line for three to five months.